Shrimps
by AnonymousDH
Summary: A waiter walks by with another tray of small bites. He reaches for two small glasses handing her one and his eyes sparkle just a little as he sees what's inside them. "Shrimp," he mumbles biting his tongue and she mirrors his move. Shaking her head, she looks down. [DARVEY] Set in season 6 - Harvey, Donna, Louis, Jessica, Marcus, Rachel, Katie, Mitchell & Martha (Donna's mom)


**Hi everyone! I hope you all loved the premiere as much as I did, those little moments... *rolls in the trash* so since I missed a day on #Darveyweek, I decided to catch up now. This piece got inspired by the pictures of Meghan cooking a recipe with shrimps on the Today show and that made me think about the god awful dinner party and well.. that led to this.**

 **Just a little one shot. Hope you enjoy it and maybe leave a review? x**

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 **Shrimps**

His hands move to his bow tie, fixing it again he lets his right elbow lean on the bar. Ordering his fourth scotch of the evening and he knows he shouldn't be drinking, but he really doesn't want to be here. Not tonight, not now.

Losing another thing he treasured so dearly.

He always liked firm events, because it would be just him and her. Back in the day they used to dance. One of her hands in the back of his neck and his fingers just scraped her skin as his hand rested on her lower back. But it was always just one song and one song only, anything longer than a few minutes being too much. Too dangerous.

He'd be dressed in one of his finest tuxedo's, because she once told him on a drunken night that she loved the way he looked in them and he'd been wearing tuxedo's to those events ever since. She'd wear a dress with a very low back and he somehow always imagined she did that on purpose. For him to look, but never touch. Not really.

He used to like firm events, but not anymore.

Jessica made all of them join tonight. Not just them, but she insisted they invite their friends, family and other connections they have. A last resort to hopefully get new clients and he knows it's necessary. They lost a lot of business and this is a way of getting it back. But a night not just with her, but her mother and her boyfriend? That idea, he hates. Especially the last part of that summary.

They've been officially introduced now. Mitchell and him. Technically it was three drinks ago, but to him it was at least three drinks to early. Just after his younger brother had questioned him on the whereabouts of the redhead. The younger Specter man knowing enough when he only rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure it's not that serious," Marcus had said and he faked a small smile, because that's what he had been telling himself. That it was just a fling, just something to proof to him that she wasn't going to wait for him. He even wondered if the guy was even real.

But they met now. He's tall, too tall for Harvey's liking. Bright blue eyes and dark blonde hair. Basically him, but different. "He's funny and handsome," he mumbles in his glass, "and he's got nothing to do with the practice of law," he rolls his eyes. Letting his empty glass rest on the bar again.

Raising his hand he signals the bartender for another round, his eyes drift off to the dance floor once more. He wasn't much of dancer, but he used to dance with her. His gaze lands on her auburn manes like they always manage to do and he sighs.

Watching her dance in another man's arms. It wasn't an foreign sight, he just never had to tell himself that the man holding her was her boyfriend. He doesn't want to look, his brother standing next to him. He knows he should listen to whatever Marcus and his sister-in-law Katie are telling him, but words don't register.

All he can do is look at her, see her swirl around and imagine that it's him there. He notices her dress then and it takes two more times for her to circle around for him to know for sure. It wasn't one of those dresses she used to wear for him. Even if that was just something he made up.

He studies her face. The way she looks over the other man's shoulder and he spots a hint of smile on her lips, but it isn't the same smile she's capable of showing. It isn't the smile he's had the pleasure of witnessing so many times.

He notices how his brother stopped talking and he mumbles a yeah before he turns to look at both of them. Marcus rolls his eyes, holding his wife close. "Just tell her," the younger man shakes his head, before he reaches for Katie's hand.

Harvey lets out a sigh, watching his family walk off to the dance floor, he stays behind alone. His hand falling around the new glass of scotch he repeats his brother's words in a mocking tone. "Tell who what?" he hears a voice next to him and he stands up taller then.

"Nothing," he mumbles taking a sip from the glass. The managing partner shakes her head, not needing to follow his gaze to know what he meant. "For the record," she speaks, waiting for the lawyer to face her. "I think Marcus is right."

"She's happy," he sighs and Jessica smiles a little because she never mentioned the redhead, but both of them knew it. "Doesn't mean you can't tell her," she counters and Harvey crooks his head letting out a sigh. "I know."

The managing partner walks off again, throwing a smile in his direction as she lets her index finger tap against the wrist of her left arm. He lets out a sigh, rolling his eyes as he bites his tongue. But deep down he knows she's right and Marcus is right. He should do something.

.

He walks himself over to one of the standing tables at the other side of the floor. He doesn't really have a purpose for doing so, but halfway there he spots the red hair of a women he's only met a few times. Her mother's.

A smile plastered on his face he places his glass on the table. "Martha," he smiles and the older redhead places her hands on his shoulders, greeting him. "I thought Donna said you couldn't make it?" he asks then and Martha smiles. "She actually told me it wasn't that important," the woman answers truthfully, "but I wanted to surprise her. Haven't seen her in quite a while now. Do you know where she is?"

Harvey opens his mouth to speak, but looks around instead. He's always been able to spot her. "Right there," he points to the dance floor, "with Mitchell," he adds trying to smile. "Mitchell who?" the woman frowns looking back at him and he swallows not sure what to say, but he can't deny that this reaction made him smile.

The woman looks at him, a questioning look on her face and he realises then that she's serious. That she really has no clue as to whom the man on her daughter's side is. "Her.. uhm," he mumbles, "boyfriend," he finishes and the woman looks over her shoulder once more.

When she looks back at him, she gives him a small smile. "Have they been together long?" she asks, because she really has no clue. "Few months I think," he swallows, "I just met him myself." He mother nods, knowing there isn't much the man she's talking to can tell her.

"And you," she crooks her head looking at the lawyer. "Are you seeing someone?" Her words take him off guard and his mouth drops a little. "I uhm.. " he pauses rocking back and forth on his feet, his gaze drift off to his secretary for a few second before he looks at her mother again. "No," he shakes his head.

His jaw clenches, he feels his eyes tear up and bites his tongue to stop it from happening, but just like the younger redhead it doesn't go unnoticed to this Paulsen either. "What happened, son?" she ask looking at him and he isn't even sure why he answers, but the words leave his lips before he can register them. "I screwed up," he presses his lips together in a small smile, "and I let her slip away."

Martha studies his face, seeing that sigh he lets out and the distant stare and she knows enough. She always wondered, she always assumed things but now she knew. Without words she knew. Her hand covers his for a second and she squeezes his hand as he looks at her again. "If it's meant to be it will happen," she smiles at him, but he doesn't respond as he notices how the younger redhead is walking towards them.

"Mom?" she mumbles a frown on her face as she notices the woman her boss is talking to. Her heart skipping a beat as the woman turns around and she suddenly realises that she never even thought about introducing the man next to her to her parents.

"Hey honey," Martha wraps her arms around her daughter, placing a kiss on her cheek before she looks at her again. "I was just talking to Harvey," she explains, before looking at the blonde next to her daughter. "And this must be Mitchell, " she speaks and Donna feels her throat dry a little.

"Uhm," she stutters, briefly shaking her head, "yes.. uhm.. Mitchell this is Martha, my mother," she turns towards the man besides her. "Mom this is Mitchell, my uhm.. friend from my theatre group," she mumbles, letting the two of them shake hands. Harvey frowns a little, because this wasn't the introduction he had gotten and he can't help but see her swallow.

.

He's listening to the conversation the three of them are having, not really paying attention he just repeats every single thing she says about him in his mind. _"He's an amazing actor,"_ he rolls his eyes, thinking to himself that he was too, if for all these years she never saw how he felt about her.

Donna lets out a sigh as she looks at him, annoyed how he isn't participating in their conversation, but at the same time she doesn't even know what she expects him to say. "Stop it," she whispers as he makes a face yet again. "What, I'm not even doing anything," he counters reaching for something else to eat.

"You know exactly what I mean," she mumbles back, "and thanks by the way." He frowns, his mouth dropping as he looks at her, but he doesn't have to ask what she means. "How was I supposed to know she didn't know?"

She crooks her head giving him this warning look. "Why is it such a big problem anyway, you'd have to introduce him some time," he counters, bringing his glass to his lips and she lets out a sigh, looking away. Her hand reaching for one of the appetizers on the table, she focuses on the food in her hand instead of his words.

"You weren't planning on letting him meet your parents at all," he comments then and she rolls her eyes. "Of course I was," she whispers back, looking at her mother and Mitchell who are amicably talking about something with Jessica now, but she can't even hear what. "No you weren't," he lets his hand tap against the table as he studies her face.

She rolls her eyes, biting her tongue and she's not sure why she even answers. Especially now, but it's the closest she's come to a conversation with him. "Fine, I wasn't," she whispers and his lips twitch into a small smile. "Stop gloating," she mumbles then and he gives her an understanding nod.

He wants to ask her why she's even with the guy, but he knows it's not the time or place to do so. He's not even sure he wants to know the answer, because deep down it's directly linked to his own screwing up. But in some way the fact she wasn't planning on letting him meet her parents gave him hope. Maybe his brother and his mentor were right after all.

A waiter walks by with another tray of small bites. He reaches for two small glasses handing her one and his eyes sparkle just a little as he sees what's inside them. "Shrimp," he mumbles biting his tongue and she mirrors his move. Shaking her head she looks down.

Taking the glass from his hand, both of them look at her mother's back. A chuckle escaping his lips he leans forward. "I still can't believe she never felt that," he whispers and she gives him a smile in return their eyes locking for a second. "Me neither," she whispers looking at her mother and Mitchell again.

She notices him removing the shrimp on a toothpick, holding it up with his hands he lets it twist between his fingers. One eye closed as if he's measuring the distance between them and the others, her hand brushes against his wrist. "Don't you dare think about it," she stops him, pulling her hand back she lets it rest on the table.

He swallows, her sudden touch sending a shiver down his spine. "Of course not," he mumbles, not letting out how he was already picturing the damn thing in the other guys hair. He takes a bite instead, swallowing it away with a sip of his glass. "Good," she whispers eating hers with a grin.

Their eyes locked a little longer then they should be, both of them looking away as Louis joins them at the table. Donna immediately trying to engage a conversation with her former boss, he just watches her for a second, before he looks around the room.

Seeing his mentor and his brother talk with the two guests belonging to the redhead he sees his brother smirk. He rolls his eyes looking back to Louis and Rachel, who joined their table seconds later. A smile creeping up on his face as he realises that somehow, after everything they're still able to have a good time.

When the waiter comes round for the second time, neither of them dares to reach for another appetizer. Taking that as a hint the young man pulls the tray back accidentally hitting Louis' arm in the process. Their eyes follow the lawyers arm, seeing how the small glass remains in his hand but how the pink content erupts from the container.

A small gasp escapes her lips and he snorts when the piece of food lands on the back of Mitchell's head. Louis' mouth drops and he's already stretching his arm suddenly realising he can't be doing that. Rachel looks away, unable to hold her laugh as she hears both Donna and Harvey chuckle once more.

The other's turn around to face them then. "What's so funny?" Mitchell asks, his eyes locking with Donna's and her mouth drops a little. Rachel and Louis slowly shake their head, not answering. Harvey bites his lip as he sees his brother's eyes widen when the man in between them turns around.

"Nothing," Donna mumbles, stepping forward. Her right arm slipping around that of her mother's, her other hand rests on Mitchells shoulder for a second. Guiding both of them away from the group. She's not entirely sure how she's going to explain what happened to the man next to her. She doesn't necessarily mean just the shrimp either, but more. Looking over her shoulder one last time, her eyes locking with his and she just can't help but grin.

Wrapping her arm around his neck as she says goodbye. She manages to remove the sticky piece of food from his hair without him even noticing, and she can't help but think how and mostly when her mother must have found that piece of shrimp years ago.

She uses her mother as an excuse to not let him stay over that night, something she wasn't sure of doing anyway, but this was easier.

.

"Did you have fun?" she asks, handing her mother a cup of tea as she settles down on the couch next to her. "I did," the woman smiles warming her hands with the cup. "I think you found him," Martha continues then and Donna frowns a little. "What?" she whispers.

"The one," Martha smiles and Donna's mouth is left agape as her mother's words resonate in her mind. "M.. Mi.. Mitchell," she stutters and her mother shakes her head, giving her a smile. "No, dear," Martha's hands covering her daughter's, "Harvey."

She feels her breath falter for a second, but before she can respond Martha lets her hand run over her daughters cheek. "You didn't think I would still spend time with the man that spit a piece of shrimp in my hair unless I was absolutely sure that he was one for you."

Donna's mouth drops a little, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she looks down. "I thought you hadn't noticed that," she whispers and Martha smiles. Squeezing her daughter's hands to make her look at her again.

"Honey," she speaks, "I'm your mother, I know."

The End.


End file.
